The plane was flying dangerously close to the water as it attempted to land at San Francisco International, survivors told CNN. It eventually crashed into the runway, landing on its tail, resulting in a large fireball and a charred roof. An investigation into the crash has already begun and the results may not be determined for up to two years, according to South Korea's Aviation Policy Bureau. The pilot behind the controls is a 17-year veteran of Asiana Air.

This is the third deadly crash for Asiana Air in the past two decades, CNN reports. In 1993, a plane crashed in poor weather near South Korea's Mokpo Airport, killing 68 people. In 2011, a cargo plane carrying two people from Seoul to Shanghai crashed into the East China Sea, killing both.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg revealed Saturday evening that she was almost a passenger on the plane. Sandberg explained that her family and colleagues were originally on Asiana Flight 214, but decided to switch to United for the miles. "Our flight was scheduled to come in at the same time, but we were early and landed about 20 minutes before the crash," Sandberg wrote on Facebook. "Serious moment to give thanks," she added.